One common matrix code is the Quick Response (“QR”) Code. QR Code is a registered trademark of Denso Wave of Chita-gun Aichi, Japan. Another common matrix code is the EZcode created by ETH of Zurich, Switzerland, and was exclusively licensed to Scanbuy in 2006 of New York, N.Y.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,144,922 to Kawabe et al discloses a two-dimensional code with a logo, wherein a two-dimensional code that represents information by means of a cell dot distribution pattern formed by having a plurality of cells colored and a logo mark visually representing characters are superimposed. In a preferred embodiment, at least a part of the cell dot color area is smaller than the cell area while the two-dimensional code that represents the information by means of the cell dot distribution pattern that color codes the cells and the logo mark that visually represents the character are superimposed.
US Patent Publication 2009/0255992 to Shen discloses a system for synthesizing a two dimensional code and a logo. The system for generating a synthesized two dimensional code comprises synthesizing means, for synthesizing an original two dimensional code and a visually readable logo to form the synthesized two dimensional code, with at least a part of the visually readable logo being overlapped with the original two dimensional code; identifying means, for reading and identifying the synthesized two dimensional code; and adjusting means, if the synthesized two dimensional code being identified by the identifying means has a code error rate of the synthesized two dimensional code larger than an error correction rate, the adjusting means adjusting the size of the visually readable logo and/or the location of the visually readable logo with respect to the original two dimensional code. According to Shen the proposed invention can be used to integrate enterprise logo(s), brand logo(s) and product logo(s) with a two dimensional code as a whole, which may save areas and achieve better effect for brand and product promotion.
US Patent Publication 2009/0057420 to Onoda et al discloses a clear two-dimensional code which can be merged with an image without giving a user a feeling of disorder when the clear two-dimensional code is attached to the image and in which a readable situation and the like can be arbitrarily set; an article having the clear two-dimensional code attached thereto; a method for printing the two-dimensional code; and a method for displaying the two-dimensional code. Base cells and data cells are arranged in a matrix, and either the base cells or the data cells are clear. The clear two-dimensional code can be read only when a color shown on the clear cells consisting of either the base cells or the data cells and a color shown or non-clear cells consisting of either the base cells or the data cells have a contrast which can be read by a code recognition apparatus
designQR® by IT DeSign Inc of Springdale, Ariz. offers its users to render a logo or a simple symbol onto a QR Code. According to IT DeSign's web-site (http://www.design-it.com/), the designQR® technology searches for the best position in a given QR Code for positioning a logo or symbol over the QR Code. Further according to the web-site, the best position for a logo, is where the dots cell distribution of the said QR Code best resembles the logo in respect to the value read by the corresponding optical reader.